Rozelle Fire Memorial to Mark Two Year Anniversary

A memorial to the victims of the Rozelle Fire will be unveiled on the second anniversary of the tragic event that claimed three lives.

Rozelle residents Chris Noble, Bianka O’Brien and her infant son Jude were killed following an explosion at a Darling Street convenience store in the early hours of 4 September, 2014.

Administrator Richard Pearson said Council staff have been working with the Noble and O’Brien families and an appointed consultant artist, Mara Guppy, on the development of an appropriate memorial for some months.

“The memorial will be positioned in a small garden area on the western corner of Darling Street and Nelson Street in Rozelle,” Mr Pearson said.

“This site was chosen by the families and is located very close to the scene of the tragedy. It’s also a place where John O’Brien and his wife Bianka and baby Jude would meet.”

Mr Pearson said the project features both sculpture and landscaping.

“The sculpture itself has been designed by artist Jimmy Rix, who worked with the families of John, Bianka and Jude,” he said.

The landscaping design was finalised two weeks ago by appointed landscape architects Phillipsmarler.

Council is working towards unveiling the memorial to commemorate the second anniversary of the tragedy on 4 September, 2016.

In the months following the Rozelle Fire, the former Leichhardt Council held a community memorial service to honour the victims of the tragedy and commissioned a community artwork mural placed on the temporary building hoardings on Darling Street closest to the site of the tragedy.